1853
First edition (in book form.)
Published by Bradbury and Evans, London.
Half leather in original binding. The novel was first published in serial form between March 1852 and September 1853. “Writing at the height of his powers, Dickens adopts a virtuoso form of double narration, and the novel has since the middle of the twentieth century been widely acclaimed as his greatest work” (ODNB). Of note is the inclusion of ten dark plates, a new mode of illustration particularly fitting to the novel: “As Dickens’ vision of society darkened, Browne adjusted his techniques, pioneering in the use of ‘dark plates’, where the plate was machine-ruled in parallel grooves which printed an almost uniform tone either before or after the figures and background were hand drawn. These brooding, atmospheric designs harmonized with the gloomy, foggy world of Bleak House and Little Dorrit” (Schlicke, p.59).

Illustrations by Hablot Knight Browne aka Phiz.
Prelims and plates foxed.

R25,000